Day 19 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
Day 19 - James 5:7-11
SCRIPTURE:
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
LESSON:
We joke in my house that the one thing you should never pray for is PATIENCE! The reason is simple, in order to have patience there must be testing. When you pray for patience you are asking God to put you through the fire!
James is concluding his letter where he started. Reminding us that if we are patient through trials and tribulations then we will see the fruit of what God is trying to produce in us. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)
The book of Job is always the big hurdle in our year long chronological bible reading group. Every January people make the commitment to read through the Bible in a year. And every January we hit Job after just eleven chapters in Genesis. Nearly two weeks later we are still grinding through Job. Every year someone falls off the wagon and stops the readings. It’s a grueling read. And not super encouraging. I don’t read anywhere where Job finds out the purpose behind his suffering. And yet we are privileged to see the bigger picture as we read through Job today. James actually references this bigger picture when he reminds us that we have “seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” And while we get to see how Job’s story ends, we are still left with the trials and tribulations that God has chosen for us to face. This is why we need patience.
One last thought on suffering. I believe that there are two primary reasons God allows us to go through troubles. The first is what James says in chapter one. That we might “be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” In other words God is trying to do something in our life that shapes us into something better. This is my first reflection whenever I am faced with a trial. I ask God, “What is it that you are trying to shape in my life? My attitude? My focus? My responses to other people? Are you trying to teach me a life lesson?” Often I find the answer to these questions rather quickly and the trials begin to make a little bit more sense. Very rarely do they make perfect sense! But at least I can understand in part what God is trying to do.
The second reason I believe God allows us to go through troubles is so that those around us can see his compassion and mercy. If we respond the correct way to suffering, God can and will use us as a witness to his love and faithfulness!
God was bragging about Job before all the problems started. Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) Job sure didn’t seem like a candidate that needed much more refining. So why would God allow all the suffering in Job’s life? Perhaps it was so that every person who read Job’s story would be able to see God’s goodness and faithfulness even in suffering. Job is a tremendous example of someone who’s story gives glory to God!
This is Job’s initial response to his suffering. “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:20-22)
Job’s response should kindle something in our hearts. Trusting God no matter what our circumstances! James exhorts us to “be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” We know that suffering is not the end. This life is not the end. Jesus is coming back and when he does he will make it alright. Everything that we don’t understand now will make sense then. Every hurt and problem we face today will be remedied by Jesus. So let us stay strong in faith. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus. Let us be patient and expectant at the same time. Knowing that God is working in us and around us. And he will surely work through us if we allow him to.
We joke in my house that the one thing you should never pray for is PATIENCE! The reason is simple, in order to have patience there must be testing. When you pray for patience you are asking God to put you through the fire!
James is concluding his letter where he started. Reminding us that if we are patient through trials and tribulations then we will see the fruit of what God is trying to produce in us. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)
The book of Job is always the big hurdle in our year long chronological bible reading group. Every January people make the commitment to read through the Bible in a year. And every January we hit Job after just eleven chapters in Genesis. Nearly two weeks later we are still grinding through Job. Every year someone falls off the wagon and stops the readings. It’s a grueling read. And not super encouraging. I don’t read anywhere where Job finds out the purpose behind his suffering. And yet we are privileged to see the bigger picture as we read through Job today. James actually references this bigger picture when he reminds us that we have “seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” And while we get to see how Job’s story ends, we are still left with the trials and tribulations that God has chosen for us to face. This is why we need patience.
One last thought on suffering. I believe that there are two primary reasons God allows us to go through troubles. The first is what James says in chapter one. That we might “be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” In other words God is trying to do something in our life that shapes us into something better. This is my first reflection whenever I am faced with a trial. I ask God, “What is it that you are trying to shape in my life? My attitude? My focus? My responses to other people? Are you trying to teach me a life lesson?” Often I find the answer to these questions rather quickly and the trials begin to make a little bit more sense. Very rarely do they make perfect sense! But at least I can understand in part what God is trying to do.
The second reason I believe God allows us to go through troubles is so that those around us can see his compassion and mercy. If we respond the correct way to suffering, God can and will use us as a witness to his love and faithfulness!
God was bragging about Job before all the problems started. Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) Job sure didn’t seem like a candidate that needed much more refining. So why would God allow all the suffering in Job’s life? Perhaps it was so that every person who read Job’s story would be able to see God’s goodness and faithfulness even in suffering. Job is a tremendous example of someone who’s story gives glory to God!
This is Job’s initial response to his suffering. “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:20-22)
Job’s response should kindle something in our hearts. Trusting God no matter what our circumstances! James exhorts us to “be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” We know that suffering is not the end. This life is not the end. Jesus is coming back and when he does he will make it alright. Everything that we don’t understand now will make sense then. Every hurt and problem we face today will be remedied by Jesus. So let us stay strong in faith. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus. Let us be patient and expectant at the same time. Knowing that God is working in us and around us. And he will surely work through us if we allow him to.
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for suffering. I do pray for patience. Not because I look forward to trials and tribulations but because I want you to work in me, around me and through me. Help me to hold fast to your truth. Guide me by your perfect word. Thank you God! Amen!
Father, thank you for suffering. I do pray for patience. Not because I look forward to trials and tribulations but because I want you to work in me, around me and through me. Help me to hold fast to your truth. Guide me by your perfect word. Thank you God! Amen!
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